Team Members

A half marathon is a long way to go, especially when you’re carrying extra pounds.

We are excited about the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon Biggest Winner Weight Loss Challenge, pitting 6 to 10 East Tennesseans against each other in a race to drop pounds and improve their health before race day. The contest was open to folks who want to walk or jog the half marathon or 5k and need to lose at least 20-50 pounds. The team was selected in the fall of 2011.  To learn more about the team and the team concept, click here. 

Big Losers = Big Winners

Leading the team is Covenant Health fitness promotion coordinator Missy Kane, a former college track coach and Olympic runner. She is joined by a team of experts from Covenant Health – physical therapists, registered dieticians, exercise physiologists, and fitness instructors – who are committed to helping the Biggest Winner team members reach goals for health and fitness.

“The people who join the Biggest Winner Weight Loss Challenge have to be comfortable with having their weight made public,” Kane says. “But it’s worth it.”

The winner is determined not only by weight loss, but by overall improvement in health and well being. “We’ll be checking everything from blood pressure to body mass index to cholesterol,” Kane says. “Being fit is about much more than a number on the scales.”

The winner will receive a package of prizes from marathon sponsors, but last year’s team members say the biggest prize is the knowledge and encouragement that can change your life long after the marathon is over.

Improving Health

More than two-thirds of Americans are now obese or overweight. When it comes to obesity, Tennessee ranks fourth in the nation on the list of America’s fattest states.

“It’s evident that we still have a lot of work to do when it comes to making this a place that’s fit to live in,” Kane says.

Being overweight can contribute to a variety of health problems including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and gallbladder problems. Obesity is partly to blame for the increase in osteoarthritis, according to a recent CDC report. Even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.